If it were mine, I would feed it well and let it grow for a couple years to thicken the trunk more before any styling is done. During that time I would start to select which branches I would keep and which I would leave as sacrifices or possible jins. I might shorten it a little bit and I would definitely thin out the branches but not yet. What kind of nebari does it have?

Gnome, maybe you can make a virt of this one? I see a nice tree in there but I don't have the means to make a virt.

I agree with Tom that you should not do anything with this tree this year. I have had poor results working with Pines so far, my seedlings excepted. This is probably due to my wanting to do too much too soon, like forcing it into a small pot right away. This first year will be crucial, I hope it works out for you.

Thanks Tom! You're always so positive! I'm not sure what species it is as I didn't keep the info It was one of the those "christmas" trees HD sells at the holidays...it doesn't look like it did when I bought it...

Gnome wrote: I agree with Tom that you should not do anything with this tree this year.

That looks like some kind of spruce to me. Could it possibly be a bristlecone pine? If you bought the tree from a company that doesn't specialize in bonsai, then it is very possible that they put the wrong identification on it.

Thanks Tom! You're always so positive!

I think it's important to be positive all the time, especially with newcomers to bonsai. I don't believe anything positive can come from a negative comment. This art can be very overwhelming and its important to encourage anyone who shows interest.

That is not true. The only way it could absorb excess water is if it's sitting in a puddle of water and thats true for any pot. Bonsai pots are made to look decorative other than that there is no difference from any other pot. I'm not sure where you got this information from.

It's not totally untrue, though. It's not that the pot absorbs the water, it's more that a glazed interior prevents evaporation and drainage and can led to excess moisture in the soil and, as a result, an increased chance of root rot. Now, I have not actually tried this to prove it, but all of the better bonsai books available that detail why pots with a glazed interior should not be used give this as the reason.

I posted about this same topic on BC and there were mixed answers. But there was one that was very convincing to me. He said that and unglazed pot did not absorb moisture and the only reason most pots aren't glazed on the inside is because the potters try to save money by not using up the glaze for something that won't be seen. It is good however to not have glaze on the inside because the roots can use the sides of the pot to anchor themselves but if you wire it in this does not matter.

I'm not sure if it was ever determined what species this tree is but beware purchasing Spruce trees. Some look like the would make excellent bonsai (Dwarf Alberta Spruce) but the branches are extremely flexible and are very difficult to wire into position. It could take years of training in order to lower the upright branches. There are better choices for your early attempts.